Key-holder for locks.



H. G.v VOIGHT.- KEY HOLDER FOR LOCKS.- .PPLIUATION FILED QUT. 8, 1910.

978,965.= Patented peazo, 1910.

5 woe wloz l "UNITED s'rArEsrArnNT OFFICE.

HENRY G. VOIGI-IT, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO RUSSELL & ERWIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

KEY-HOLDER FOR LOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 8, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. VorGH'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Holders for Locks, 07E which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in locks, the object being to provide a simple and eifective means for holding the key in the lock against accidental detachment, said means operating after the key lhas been inserted and turned to frictionally hold the laterally offset bit of anv ordinary key out of alinement with the key-hole, so thatV the key cannot be thrown out by slamming the door.

In the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of a mortise lock with the cap removed, showing my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line -m. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a detail.

l represents the lock case, 2 a dead-bolt, 3 a tumbler therefor, l an ordinary key with an offset bit, and 5 an elongated key-hole.

These parts thus far described are of the usual conventional form. Through the medium of the key, the operator manipulates the tumbler or tumblers and advances or retracts the dead-bolt 2. To accomplish this advancement or retraction of the dead-bolt requires the turninp` of the key. After the key has been turnec obviously the bit stands out of alinement with the key-hole and cannot be removed.

My invention comprehends merely a simple device to frictionally hold the bit of the key in the out-of-line position. This device comprises a curved spring 6, which is bent down at the middle portion to stand under the lower end of the key-hole to allow the key to be inserted, and also bent down at its ends to project into pockets formed under lugs 7 7 preferably cast integrally with the lower end of the lock case, said lugs simply operating as holders. The high parts of the spring stand on opposite sides of a plane passing directly through the key-holes in the lock, said high parts or humps standing up sufhciently far so that they will engage the bit of the key as it is being returned toward the key-hole, requiring a manual act to overcome the tension of the spring in re-Y storing the key to a position in which it can be withdrawn. For example, as shown in Fig. l, the key has been inserted and the bolt has been retracted thereby, the key being left in the door. As shown therein, the bitted end of the key is resting against one of the humps in the spring 6. To remove it requires simply enough pressure to depress the spring 6 until the bit lines up with'the key-hole 5.

' Vhat I claim is:

In a lock, an elongated key-hole passage arranged to receive a key having a laterally offset b-it, a spring mounted on its ends below said key-hole, said spring being bent upwardly at two points intermediate its length to form humps on opposite sides of a plane passing through said key-hole, and also bent down at the center sufficiently to permit a key to be inserted into the lock through the key-hole.

HENRY G. VOIGHT.

-Witnesses:

ISAAC D. RUSSELL, M. S. WIARD. 

